THE HOST

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
MARCH 18, 2013

Despite being a retread of the themes in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” “The Host” succeeds in two ways. Saoirse Ronan overcomes the odds and delivers a worthwhile performance as best she can give the material. I am more likely to see this again as a silent film to catch her performance. The second success comes from incorporating an up-and-coming band like Imagine Dragons to sell your movie and give it a voice beyond just “From the Creator of the Twilight Saga.”

It’s a shame to waste an exciting science fiction premise on this romantically charged conflict of love interests and inner monologue, both of which must play out much better on the page since both do not translate well to the screen. Besides appearances from William Hurt and [spoiler] Emily Browning, the acting in the film is limited. Diane Kruger does her best, but as one of the leaders of the aliens, her performance is often paper-thin and monotonous. With some potential, “The Host” cannot reach it and becomes just another reason Stephenie Meyer should put away her pen.